


Chicken Rice Cultivator

by LinXueLian



Category: Original Work
Genre: Chinese Food, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Comedy, M/M, Older Shou, Wuxia, Zombies, cultivation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27538624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinXueLian/pseuds/LinXueLian
Summary: Zhao Xiao is the eldest son of a chicken rice stall owner. There’s nothing really special about the stall – except for the fact that very,veryweird people tend to drop by and patronize it.One day, Zhao Xiao meets a tall youth dressed in radiant white.“Doesgegewant to join forces with us to protect all worlds against zombies?”“You’re very handsome, so yes!”Thus begins Zhao Xiao’s journey down the path of immortality as a chicken rice cultivator!
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Chicken Rice Cultivator

**Author's Note:**

> This was an old idea. I'm uploading this for archival. May work on it slowly or on a future date.

_Bang bang bang!_

_Chop chop chop!_

“Boss, I wanted the wing, not the drumstick!”

“Aiyah, I already gave it to you because you were mumbling your order! Just eat it, ba!”

Such were the usual sounds of the shop Zhao Xiao and his brothers helped out in. The three of them were sons of the owner of a chicken rice stall and the family lived in a messy nest-like place above the shop. Zhao Xiao was in college and commuted there, so he helped out in the shop whenever he could.

The three brothers were Zhao Xiao, Zhao Ding and Zhao Dang respectively. Basically they were named after Doraemon, since their parents had been watching it when they were conceived, two years apart after the other. In reality, the couple had just been too lazy to think up illustrious names for their sons.

Unlike his two younger brothers, Zhao Xiao was hopeless in the kitchen. He couldn’t even chop chickens properly. Therefore, all he did was wipe tables, wash dishes and sweep. As expected, the family members didn’t think much of him, particularly his fierce-tempered father and calculative youngest brother. However, they still got along harmoniously, since Zhao Xiao was easy-going in general, and bit of a dreamer.

“Fine, fine, I’ll just eat it,” grumbled the shabby young man. He looked battle-worn, dried blood crusted around his clothes. If Zhao Xiao could put any words to it, the man looked a bit like a dark vagabond shaolin master.

Zhao Xiao’s easy-going nature knew no bounds. Zhao Xiao accepted people easily, no matter how weird they were. It wasn’t that he didn’t know they were strange – it was just that he didn’t mind it. He came up to the man with a mug of herbal tea, smiling.

“For you. It’s on me,” said Zhao Xiao. “I’m sorry we got your order wrong.”

Mr. Zhao clicked his tongue loudly but didn’t chide his son. Since he was paying for it out of his own pocket, it was fine. The ‘wild shaolin master’ gazed at Zhao Xiao and smiled back.

“Thank you, young master,” he cupped a bow. Zhao Xiao was surprised at such a young man’s antiquated response, but waved his hand good-naturedly.

“Don’t mind it.”

In all honesty, weird people patronized the stall all the time. At some point, he had gotten used to it. Some of the people coming into the shop were dressed bizarrely, rather like those in fantasy and martial arts films. Old men with youthful features, handsome young men in armour, Taoist monks, fragrantly perfumed women dressed like fairies – they all stepped in and ordered chicken rice like regular people.

His two younger brothers were still shocked by how some of the patrons looked from time to time, but Zhao Xiao just took it all in stride.

As long as they paid for their meals, Zhao Xiao didn’t mind. His father, who owned the stall, had nothing to say about it either. Perhaps they were just actors at a set nearby. Zhao Xiao shrugged it off and tended to them like normal.

Needless to say, due to his relaxed nature Zhao Xiao was quite popular with a few customers. As he got ready to head out for his afternoon classes, an old man who looked like the old deity from the South Pole greeted him. Today, the old uncle was wearing a green Hawaiian shirt.

“Little one, going to classes today?” he asked, the bright green shirt blinding everyone in the shop with its neon colours. His skin was youthful and pliant, and nothing about his features looked old except his large forehead, bald head and long, white beard. Zhao Xiao grinned at him.

“Yes, uncle, I have one today,” he replied. “I’ll be going now. See you, uncle.”

“Little One, uncle here has a good premonition,” the old man looked at the youth up and down. “Looking at you, I see a bright light shining, a string of red for marriage. Surely whomever you marry will have a good life.”

“Err, I’m too young to marry, uncle,” Zhao Xiao laughed, scratching his head embarrassedly. Moreover, there was no light brighter than the neon-coloured shirt the old man was sporting.

“No, no, I can see it,” urged the old man. “Little One, if you want, uncle here can introduce you to some people. My great, great granddaughter ah, she’s sixty this coming year, I can introduce you to her…”

“Mind your own business, Lao Xing!” shouted Zhao Xiao’s dad from the corner of the shop. “Stop trying to push that granddaughter of yours on everyone! That old vixen isn’t going to settle for just one man, and you know it!”

“She can be a sugar momma,” Lao Xing applied some pressure, “You know, nowadays young men need experienced women…”

“Enough! Eat your food!” roared Mr. Zhao, and that was that. Lao Xing grinned sheepishly and resumed eating his rice. For some reason, no matter how rough Zhao Xiao’s father was with anyone, patrons kept returning to the stall.

Zhao Xing smiled and went to college as usual.

It was like every other normal day, and the lectures were boring as usual. Beside him, Zhao Xiao’s friend and classmate, Li Daxiong, a nerdy guy with spectacles, stretched.

“Ah ah ah—if I have to listen to any more of this, I’m going to grow mould and die,” he yawned loudly. They were sitting in the middle row and the instructor didn’t notice immediately that the student was slacking. Zhao Xiao shook his head.

“Sit straight, she’s going to notice us,” whispered Zhao Xiao, prodding him.

“Little Xiao, Baby Xiao, take the notes for me, I can’t keep awake anymore…”

He was always like this. However, Li Daxiong was intelligent although he was playful. Sighing, Zhao Xiao took the notes neatly for his lazy friend. He allowed him to take his notes home and copy them, agreeing to meet again the next day to take it back.

When Zhao Xiao returned home, he hurried to put his bag upstairs before going downstairs again to help clean the tables and wash the dishes. Just as he picked the last of the dishes up, a youth walked into the shop.

Although Zhao Xiao had seen many people with beautiful faces come in and out of the shop, he couldn’t help but turn his neck to take a second look at this youth. He had pronounced, sword-like brows and a tall nose, and his skin was fair and radiant. Clad in raiment white as snow, he stood out like a lily among the reeds, even though he wasn’t wearing fantastical garb like some of the odder patrons did.

“Young mas—ah, big brother, is your father in by chance?” asked the youth. His smile was gentle like a spring breeze. Feeling a bit muddled, Zhao Xiao, the everlasting face-con, looked around the shop.

“He should be,” answered Zhao Xiao. “However, we’re not taking any more orders for today. I’m sorry, but we’re closed.”

“Oh… that,” said the youth. “I’m not here to eat, but to meet your father. Can I bother big brother to call him out?”

Calling him big brother – _gege_ – like that, the youth held a familial tone. Coupled with his handsome face, Zhao Xiao found it hard to say no. He nodded quickly and left to find his father.

However, the man was nowhere to be found. When he asked his mother, he found out that his father had gone out to buy lottery numbers. Embarrassed, Zhao Xiao returned to the youth and twiddled his fingers shyly.

“Ah, my father’s not around…”

The youth’s lips straightened, looking a little troubled. “I’ll come back tomorrow, then. See you, _gege_.”

“Ah, see you…”

Zhao Xiao was spaced out. Walking by, his youngest brother jabbed him in the ribs.

“You… what’s up with you?”

“Ah, did you see him?” Zhao Xiao suddenly spun around, breathless. “Tall nose, sword-like brows, really dark eyes – he’s like a main character of a novel! Maybe even a main lead of a romance novel, hehehe…”

Zhao Dang rolled his eyes. “Big bro, you need to stop reading those trash novels…”

“Let a man dream,” Zhao Xiao waved his brother away carelessly, skipping upstairs in a good mood. He fished out his phone and began to read the latest chapter of bookmarked web-novel, rolling around in his bed in glee. Today, he had finally found someone to be the face of this protagonist… ah, face-con Zhao Xiao was in heaven!


End file.
